Dendrocalamus strictus

Solid Bamboo
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Tribe:	Bambuseae
Genus:	Dendrocalamus
Species:	D. strictus
Binomial name
Dendrocalamus strictus (Roxb.) Nees
Synonyms[1]
Arundo hexandra Roxb. ex Munro nom. inval. Bambos stricta Roxb. Bambusa glomerata Royle ex Munro nom. inval. Bambusa hexandra Roxb. ex Munro nom. inval. Bambusa pubescens Lodd. ex Lindl. Bambusa stricta (Roxb.) Roxb. Bambusa tanaea Buch.-Ham. ex Wall. nom. inval. Bambusa verticillata Rottler ex Munro nom. inval. Dendrocalamus prainiana Varmah & Bahadur nom. inval. Nastus strictus (Roxb.) Sm.

Dendrocalamus strictus is a bamboo species belonging to the Dendrocalamus genus. The culms (stems) are often solid.^[2] Common names include male bamboo, solid bamboo, and Calcutta bamboo.^[3]

Habit

It is a tall dull green colored bamboo species, which growing in thickets consisting of a large number of heavily branched, closely growing culms. It reaches a height of 6-18m.

Appearance

Culm is green covered with white bloom, which becomes dull green when mature and turns brown on drying. Young shoots are brown in color covered with white bloom. Culms straight. Branching occurs from the base to mid culm. Aerial roots reach up to few nodes above. Internode length is 20-30cm, and diameter is 2.5-12cm. Culm walls are very thick. Nodes are not prominent.

Culm sheath is green in young turns brown when mature. It is cylindrical. Length of the sheath proper is 18-22cm in length and 10-17cm wide. Blade length is 3.5-6.5cm. Auricles are absent. Upper surface of the sheath may or may not covered with brown hairs. Lower surface of the sheath is not hairy. Sheaths fall early.

Uses

They are extensively used in many works. They are prominently used for making house frames, rafters, tent poles, concrete reinforcement, walls, scaffolding and fences. Leaves are used for thatching.

References